WDDTY

Hay fever symptoms

A reader, who suffers a lot from catarrh, has recently been sneezing a lot and has a burning feeling in her throat. Friends have suggested it may be hay fever, but she is wondering if it could be stress related. Do readers have any advice? Are there any natural remedies to get rid of the excess mucus, she asks?

Margaret, who suffered from catarrh and hay fever for years, has the following advice: “I found a combination of acupuncture and diet worked well for me. It is important to exclude the main mucus-forming foods, i.e. dairy products, wheat products, sugar, bananas, chocolate, and possibly others depending on your constitution. If your acupuncturist is unable to advise on diet, try a naturopath or kinesiologist. If the symptoms are affected by seasonal factors such as pollen, additional treatments may be necessary during the season, for example herbal or homeopathic remedies.”

One natural remedy that may be effective for hay fever is bee pollen supplements. According to Penny, “Bee pollen works by fooling the body into thinking that the allergens invading the nostrils are actually food.” Indeed, one reader’s husband has been cured of his hay fever symptoms since he discovered Forever Living’s Bee Pollen tablets. “He takes one every morning of the year, increasing the amount to anything from 2-5 tablets a day in the hay fever season. No more itchy eyes, runny nose and no more misery.”

Another remedy that may work is Hay Away, an oil from www.grassdanceressences.com that can be sniffed or applied topically. According to Stephanie, it brings great relief to hay fever sufferers. Alternatively, you could try a cup of hot elderflower tea every morning, a traditional herbal cure. David can’t get through the summer without it.

Finally, Neil reckons the Bowen Technique will be effective for your symptoms. “The lymph drainage in the neck can clear the sinuses, often instantly, relieving the hay fever symptoms. Frequently they don’t come back at all. I had one person in my clinic last week who was lying on his back swallowing for 20 minutes after I made the hay fever moves, as his sinuses continued to clear. In chronic or long standing conditions it may take a few weeks to get this fully cleared, but it is worth it in the long run.”